The man who helped push Dundee United into the SPL’s top six now wants to fire them into the cup final.
Gary Mackay-Steven came off the substitutes’ bench at Tannadice on Saturday and lit up the Tangerines’ crucial league clash with Aberdeen.
The difference he made to the flow of the game was stark and he stretched the Dons defence from pillar to post, a strategy that paid off with Rory Boulding’s injury-time goal that put the Tangerines where they wanted to be.
The home fans celebrated and chanted “GMS, GMS” when the whistle blew just seconds after the ball had hit the back of Aberdeen keeper Jamie Langfield’s net.
The feelgood factor flooded back and now United will head to Hampden on Sunday for their William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic full of self-belief.
It had all looked lost when they were pegged back by another last-gasp goal for St Johnstone’s Liam Craig in Perth a week ago.
However, Dundee’s victory over Kilmarnock opened the door again and United, after several near-misses, finally walked through.
Mackay-Steven, a 52nd-minute sub for Michael Gardyne after recovering from a hamstring injury, quickly gave the United supporters something to cheer about when a piece of wizardry in front of the George Fox Stand saw him reverse-flick the ball over bemused Dons defender Joe Shaughnessy.
He failed to convert when right through on goal then, after Willo Flood had hit the bar, he nodded over when it looked easier to score.
It all came right in the end, though, as his pace and skill helped pin the opposition back in the closing stages, leading to that oh so valuable winner from fellow sub Boulding.
With that job done, Mackay-Steven is now hoping to star for Jackie McNamara’s men on the big stage at the national stadium against the Hoops.
Mackay-Steven said: “I was absolutely delighted when the goal went in.
“The manager told us to push forward and he put a lot of attacking players out on the pitch, including me.
“I was hoping to come on at some point. I hadn’t been training with the team since I got the slight tear in my hamstring but I felt good on Friday and I got through the game so I am happy.
“It took us to the last kick to do it but I thought we were good value for our win.
“Other results went in our favour and Dundee won, which also helped us,” said Mackay-Steven, wearing a huge smile when mentioning United’s city rivals.
“I knew they (Dundee) were winning but I didn’t know if that (2-1 to the Dark Blues) was the final score or not. I knew we had a chance and when the crowd became ecstatic then it gave us a great buzz.
“It is unbelievable and the result has left us with a fantastic feeling.”
So can he produce yet more trickery when the Tangerines line up against the Hoops?
“You never know!” he said.“I try to play the game and to entertain people.
“If it comes off then great but we are just looking for another solid performance and to try and get through to the final.
“It is a massive game coming up against Celtic but we have Stuart Armstrong back from suspension and Johnny Russell training a little bit so hopefully he will be in with a shout.
“We also have great young players like Ryan Gauld and John Souttar, who have stepped up and done exceptionally well. The signs are looking good for the future.
“Sometimes we perform better when there is no pressure on us. We will take the game to Celtic when we can and hopefully we can get a victory.”
Mackay-Steven acknowledged that he maybe should have been the one to get the breakthrough against Aberdeen before Boulding, saying: “I think I was the most relieved man on the park when Rory finished that one off.
“I had a couple of great chances myself and I never finished them so I was absolutely buzzing when Rory scored.”
The Scotland squad member revealed that the club had hit its prime target for the season by making it into the upper part of the SPL.
“All along, the plan was to reach the top six,” he said.
“We made it hard for ourselves by drawing too many games, which we should have won.
“That made it very tight but we are there now and we want to kick on and get as high up the table as possible and hopefully aim for a European place.”
Meanwhile, United chairman Stephen Thompson praised the manager and players for getting over the line in such dramatic style.
“I am delighted for Jackie and the team and now we can really look forward to the cup semi-final,” said Thompson.
“Getting into the top six takes the pressure off the club as regards cash-flow and from a footballing perspective it sends the players to Hampden on a high.
“You could say I was just a little bit happy when that goal went in and it’s a long time since I have seen our support celebrate like that.”
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